Family First Foundation is focused on promoting college and higher education to less advantaged youths in Los Angeles and surrounding areas. We believe it's important to emphasize our core values at every opportunity. Over the years we have been supported by a team of community heroes, volunteers, and civic leaders committed to meaningful change.

Our charitable activities have grown from providing free health-orientated sports clinics to large-scale events with access to role models at professional venues & college campuses.

+Our Core Values

+Mission Statement

+Founder's Note

From humble beginnings in 2000, we at Family First found that utilizing sports as an attractant has provided a huge gateway for some wonderful mentoring and educational opportunities. While we touched the lives of many along the way, the spirits in our kids touched us as well. I thank our President, the volunteers and staff that do the real work. I have seen so many tears of joy and personal epiphanies, and I am amazed at how our programs have evolved to include various engagement opportunities designed to educate while promoting college under the guise of having fun.

Seeing the inordinate impact pro athlete’s and entertainers have made on youths at our early events (we see almost unanimous commitment pledges to go to college from almost every attendee) we saw a tremendous opportunity to really connect the dots. Speakers shared lessons they learned about how education, dedication and college allowed them the opportunity to succeed; how sports taught the value of teamwork, self-reliance, confidence, leadership, and respect. When parents told us about the impact it had, our roadmap was set.

Community Service is is a way of life for many of us involved in the organization. We are great role models: volunteers, sponsors, partners, governmental representatives, professional sports, entertainers and outstanding community & corporate citizenry. I humbly thank everyone for their help over the years. You made it happen.

If you want to be part of something special, consider joining us. We hope to launvch our biggest outreach program ever 'E2C' (elementary to career) a cost free STEM program for less advantaged documented high achievers building the pipeline for our future and America.

Sincerely,
Richard Awni

Chairman

+President's Message

It’s an exciting time for the Family First Foundation! Our mission, promoting college, academic excellence and literacy to less-advantaged youths in our creative and innovative programs, has taken a giant step forward. We have expanded by offering science, technology, engineering & mathematics (STEM) programs designed for high achieving, motivated elementary and middle school youths. Research suggests that American youths enrolled in the public school system are way below average in sciences and mathematics compared to many other countries.

My elementary age kids are fortunate to be enrolled in a Technology Magnet School, where advanced technology programs are offered. However, two decades of budget chopping has taken a huge toll in most public schools and STEM programs are limited and almost non-existent. We understand the value of STEM education, and have created Tech Hub with the mission of helping kids get the STEM education they deserve.

Afterschool and private classes like robotics and science programs are available, but tuition fees are discouraging and often impossible to afford for working class parents. I wondered how we can expect our children to be interested in STEM in high school and college if we don’t encourage them at a young age. I decided to make a difference.

As an educator, an active parent in the community, and an individual who has paved my own way to a degree through scholarships and hard work, I was surprised when research showed that American graduates were ranked 37th in the world in terms of being prepared for science and technology careers.

Where will tomorrow’s leaders in STEM disciplines come from if we don’t stand up and do something now?

I have made it a personal mission together with our Board of Directors to bridge the gap by providing free STEM programs to motivated, deserving youths to support their interests and further themselves in science and technology. I was fortunate to have like-minded people around the Foundation, who built an organizational “road map” for several years through an extensive strategic planning effort.

Over the years America has produced so many brilliant scientists and innovators, the George Washington Carvers, Steve Jobs, Neil Armstrong, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Steve Ballmer and the like. There’s no better time than NOW to promote project-based learning and advanced our young leaders globally in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

On behalf of all our children, I invite you to help make a difference with us one child at a time.